‘The Female Dresses Designed by…’: London theatre’s Early Costume Designers
During the late eighteenth century London’s patent theatres underwent a significant shift in theatrical costuming. Conventions which had dominated since the reopening of the theatres post Restoration were pivoting, taking control away from theatre managers and principal actors, towards professional designers and makers. For the first time, those who worked behind the scenes were credited with ‘all the taste’ displayed on stage. This paper focuses on the work of those mantua-makers, who dressed the leading ladies of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and the Covent Garden Theatre, between 1782 – 1814. It will discuss the gowns they made, the actresses who wore them, the journey women employed in the workshops, and the network of trades who furnished them with fabrics and trimmings.
Rebecca Morrison recently completed her PhD at the V&A and Queen Mary, University of London. Her thesis focused on the lives and business practices of English mantua-makers, one of the most significant fashion trades of the long eighteenth century. Much of her research considered the material record these women left behind - the gowns, petticoats, and other garments. Rebecca also incorporated practice-led elements into her work, primarily through the process of remaking early eighteenth-century gowns.
Prior to her PhD Rebecca was an assistant curator and researcher at Kensington Palace. She also had an earlier career as a costume supervisor and maker in theatres in the UK and New York.
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This page was last updated on 30 June 2024
